the burned part of a candle wick," mid-15c., from nounsnoffe"burned part of a candle wick" (late 14c.), of unknown origin, perhaps related to snuff (v.2). The meaning "to die" is from 1865; that of "to kill" is from 1932;snuff-film, originally an urban legend, is from ...
The meaning "to die" is from 1865; that of "to kill" is from 1932;snuff-film, pornography involving the actual killing of a woman, originally an urban legend, is from 1975. also frommid-15c. snuff(v.2) "draw in through the nose with the breath," 1520s, also intransitive, "inhale...